


Decisions aka Turncoat Chapter 3 A.U.

by ams75



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: A little bit with Martin and Jax, AU to an AU, Other, Rip and Gideon are end game but won't go beyond what's seen on the show, RipFic, Sara Lance clashes with Rip several times, TimeShip, Timeship Week 2017
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-08 21:30:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12262449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ams75/pseuds/ams75
Summary: Rip saves the day but who saves him? Gideon has a big decision to make.





	1. Rip To the Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> Strongly recommend you read Part 1 if you haven't already: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11817210  
> Part 2: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11817210  
> Part 3: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12132582 (You can just read up to and including the Cognitive Intrusion, imagine what's written has gone a bit worse for the team and a bit better for Brainwashed!Rip.)
> 
> If you're just here for Timeship and not reading the others, short recaps:  
> 1.) Brainwashed!Rip kills the members of the team who are captured (Sara, Mick), kills George Washington, and kills Jax, Martin and Rip, gets the power back on the Waverider and flies away, leaving Amaya and Nate to discover the bodies and be trapped near the end of 1776.
> 
> 2.) Gideon saves Rip, who is immediately sick, realizing what he did while brainwashed. Changes the timeline so the team survives and Rip was unable to kill anyone. Sara is still shot, as she was in the episode.
> 
> 3.) Team pay attention to the note Rip left on this second version of him and leave him tied up and gagged so he can't override Gideon. Cognitive Intrusion is settled on to tr to save him.
> 
> This picks up after Sara and Jax return from being inside Rip's mind. It didn't work as well in this A.U. and will mostly stick to the POV of the Rip who had murdered, then saved them.
> 
> This is for Day 3 of TimeShip Week, although Chapter 1 is nowhere near the theme for it.

"Captain Hunter?" Martin asked worriedly as Rip's eyelids fluttered slightly.  
  
"What if it didn't work?" Sara whispered to Jax, who shrugged.  
  
"Would it be possible to try again?" Jax whispered back.  
  
***********  
  
Earlier, elsewhere.  
  
"Gideon, has the timeline started to change?" Rip asked. Even if he was going to fade away, he wanted to know he had accomplished what he had set out to do.  
  
"I'm afraid so, Captain."  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"You aren't going to like the results."  
  
"Put them up so I can see them."  
  
"As you wish."   
  
He was sitting behind his desk in the parlour and Gideon displayed what might be called a time map, with some areas and dates in red. Some green areas were beginning to turn yellow, and blue began to morph into purple. Green meant that the time and place were proceeding normally, yellow meant the time line was drifting but may or may not correct itself eventually, blue meant stable but becoming purple and then violet meant drastic changes were happening. Red was for danger; the change was about to become permanent.   
  
"Oh dear. Are you able to pinpoint where and when these changes began?" His voice trembled ever so slightly.  
  
"Christmas Day, 1776, Captain."  
  
"Bollocks! Bring us as close as you can to the other _Waverider_ , I'd better see how they messed up this time."  
  
"Yes, Captain."  
  
He stood up then sprinted to his quarters to change. He didn't fancy being shot by one of the team.  
  
He didn't want to be wearing the uniform he'd had on when... He shook his head, grabbed a pair of jeans to change into, then a t-shirt and sweater that was a little tight, which would hopefully be a visual aid to his lack of weaponry.  
  
He stripped off the uniform as he asked, "How much longer until we arrive?"  
  
"Seven minutes, fifty-five seconds."  
  
On went the t-shirt, the jeans, the boots and he slung the sweater over his shoulder then ran back to the bridge, landing hard on his seat. He pulled the metal harness down for protection in case of a rough landing.  
  
"Prepare for landing in five, four, three, two, one. We're down, Captain."  
  
If she hadn't told him, he wouldn't have known, it had been that smooth. He pushed the metal harness out of the way and stood up, bracing himself for side effects. One step, two, three, he felt fine.   
  
"All right, cloak yourself."  
  
"I already have," she said, a little smugly.  
  
"I'll use the commlink to stay in touch with you as best I can."  
  
"I'll be listening."  
  
His lips turned upward slightly. For him that was a broad grin. "I'm counting on it. I'll be back soon, I hope."  
  
"Good luck, Captain."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
**********  
  
While he was guided by Gideon over the commlink, Rip kept his eyes on the ground to avoid spraining an ankle or breaking a leg. He was running across snow covered grass, and he knew from experience that could be hazardous to one's health. He slowed when he spotted the other Waverider. He was glad to see it but also rather cross, didn't the team know any better yet to cloak the ship whilst in the past so prying eyes wouldn't see it?   
  
"You should have a visual now, Captain," she reported.  
  
"I do, thank you. I'm not sure when I'll be able to check in again, Gideon. Should anything unexpected happen, please do try not to blame them."  
  
"I'll take that under advisement." She did not sound happy.  
  
"Thank you. If they take off and I haven't returned and your scans don't pick me up outside, then follow them as close as you are able to without being detected. Sorry, had to say it, I know you would anyway."  
  
"You are my Captain."  
  
"For which I am grateful. Captain Hunter out."  
  
Now that he was so close to his target, he slowed down. It was not the time to be stopped by anything. When he reached the other ship, he had avoided several injuries. The terrain was treacherous, and it was only by luck and moving carefully that he hadn't hurt himself when the ground was lower than expected. The snow cover had tricked him into thinking it was even.  
  
He leaned against her and touched the commlink so she'd pick him up. "Gideon?"  
  
"Captain? What--"  
  
**********  
  
Rip opened his eyes, took in the worried faces and asked, "Gideon?"  
  
**********  
  
"Spaniel."  
  
**********  
  
They really were stupid. None of them were reacting yet. "Broad."  
  
**********  
  
"Tricycle!" Rip said quickly, outside the ship. "Open the door, please!" Even though she had to obey, he hoped that being polite would ease her a little.  
  
"Please move away from the door." It opened and the ramp deployed. He ran up it.  
  
**********  
  
"Tricycle."  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"The hell?" Sara, he somehow wasn't surprised that it was Sara, reacted first.  
  
He tried again quickly. "Spaniel. Broad. Tricycle."  
  
"Martin, have you got any idea--"  
  
A familiar voice shouted, "Gideon! Sedate the Captain Hunter in med bay, immediately!"  
  
Too familiar. Sara spun to face the speaker.  
  
Captain Rip Hunter.  
  
Captain Rip Hunter in jeans and an off-white sweater which was slightly too tight and looked surprisingly good on him. Sara shook her head minutely. Focus, she told herself. The hiss of the hypodermic needle told her the order had been obeyed.  "What’s going on? Why are there two of you and what are you doing on my ship?"  
  
"Your ship?" he asked, clearly startled, as he glanced at the unconscious form.  "That's debateable.  I need to speak to you, Miss Lance." Well, if he wasn't Rip, he somehow knew who she was and what Rip liked to call her. "May we adjourn to the corridor, a bit further down? We shouldn't take any chances that he," Rip nodded at his double, "will hear."  
  
"Why would I go anywhere with you?" she demanded.  
  
"The matter is rather pressing. Mr. Jackson may accompany us, to keep an eye on me as well, but we really do need to talk."  
  
Apparently, she still couldn't get over this tight sweater look on him, her eyes were drawn back and... her mind raced. It was tight enough to see he carried no knives nor a gun. She suspected that his choice of clothes was for exactly that reason.   
  
"All right, you have five minutes, lead the way, Rip, if that's who you are. Jax, follow me."  
  
"Got it," Jax said and watched as Rip, (but how could this be Rip? He was unconscious again,) hurried down the corridor, Sara disappeared after him.  
  
"Be careful, Jefferson," Martin said. Mick continued to drink his beer.  
  
"You bet." He stepped out of the room and headed towards them. Then Rip moved again and they headed towards the bridge. After a minute, Rip stopped and leaned against the wall, exhaustion poured out of him.  
  
"What did you want to say that you couldn't back there?" Sara asked.  
  
"I'm formally giving you command of the ship, and Gideon."  
  
"What?!?"  
  
"Captain, I must protest--" Gideon almost shouted.  
  
Jax stood there, stunned.  
  
"She will need a secondary confirmation at times and it will be your Rip Hunter who gives it."  
  
"Hold on, back up, what?"  
  
Rip ignored her. "Gideon, the next three words out of Sara Lance's mouth will be her override code, which she may decide is a temporary code and change later."  
  
He nodded at her encouragingly and she had so many questions, sometimes she just wanted to wring his neck. Right, three words. She could come up with random ones.  
  
"Sky. Brig. Gift."  
  
"Override code accepted, Captain Lance."  
  
Rip slid down the wall a bit looking relieved, then straightened. "Where would you rather put me, the brig, or Rip Hunter's quarters?"  
  
"Why are you talking about yourself that way, like you aren't?"  
  
"Brig it is," he said quietly.  
  
"Quarters," she snapped. "Jax, stand guard outside his door. I'll be there soon. I'd better check on our patient. Rip, you know the way. I expect to see you there."   
  
He barely nodded and walked off, to her trained eye, like a man condemned.  
  
**********


	2. Crowning Moments of Stupidity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara is Sara and Rip is Rip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part 2 of this entry for Timeship Week 2017! Enjoy!

Sara strode into med bay and asked, "How's Rip doing?"

Martin said, "The sedation is working."  
  
"Which one?" Gideon asked.  
  
"What can you tell us about our second one, Gideon?"  
  
"He is unconscious, as Professor Stein said,” replied Gideon.  
  
"I wasn't talking about this one, I was talking about the other one."   
  
Irritated, she looked up as if expecting answers to appear. She almost laughed when she realized it was something she had watched Rip do frequently. Almost. Irritation won out.  
  
"I'll be damned, the skinny Englishman screwed up the time line," Mick said, then went back to his drink.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Why else are two of him here?"  
  
**********  
  
  
Despite staring down at his boots, Rip was hyper aware when anyone came close. So far, that had only been Jax, but he knew Sara would be along soon. She'd have to come, if only to question him.  
  
Her shoes gave her away, and he hunched over even more, trying to will himself into fading away but as he continued to exist, to breathe...  
  
"Rip." Sara's voice broke through his thoughts.   
  
He wasn't sure he was going to answer her but was as surprised as she was when he said, "Miss Lance."  
  
"What were you thinking about just now? You were miles away."  
  
"Wondering why I even exist."  
  
"Why wouldn't you? Tell me what's going on."  
  
He heard the demand, command, for information in her voice, underneath the apparent softness of the words.  
  
Well, he could certainly shatter any illusions she might still hold when it came to him. "I murdered you, Miss Lance."  
  
"You didn't murder me," she said reassuringly, "I'm right here."  
  
As if he hadn't heard her, he continued, "I murdered Mr. Jackson, Professor Stein and crushed a miniaturized ATOM beneath my heel. I left you all outside to be discovered by... Eobard Thawne said their names are Nate Heywood and Amaya Jiwe?"  
  
"Rip, you didn't kill us."  
  
''I left you outside to be discovered by Mr. Heywood and Miss Jiwe. I flew off with the Waverider, so I could take my time searching her. Gideon realized something was wrong and knocked me out. She saved me. Undid the brainwashing."  
  
"You're not making sense, Rip."  
  
He still refused to look at her, concentrating instead on the brownness of his boot. If he looked at it enough, he could detect a pattern in it. "I deliberately changed the timeline, Miss Lance. I knocked you all out and left your still brainwashed Rip Hunter a prisoner for you. I expected to fade out soon after. Obviously, that hasn't happened."  
  
"And Rip in med bay?"  
  
"Was supposed to be saved by you all. Did you even read the note I'd left on _him_?"  
  
"Of course," she said. He probably only imagined her flinching.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. After Gideon healed me, I changed and went to check on you." He flinched at her words. "Him and he seemed like he wasn't going anywhere. We left him gagged and tied up and Nate and Mick carried him to med bay. Everything seemed to be going well, then Mick yelled. Somehow, he'd managed to almost gouge Mick's eye out. I thought Mick was going to kill you. Sorry, _him_ , and it took a while for me and Ray to calm him down enough to try--"  
  
"Cognitive Intrusion." He held himself still. "I saw the chair." Rip shuddered, despite the warmth of the ship.  
  
"Jax went in with me and we thought it'd worked, but then--"  
  
"Quite."  
  
"What are the odds this is just some elaborate agenda on your part?"  
  
"Gideon, confirm existence of a second _Waverider_."  
  
"Confirmed, Captain.  
  
"Wait, I thought you gave control of the _Waverider_ and Gideon to me?"  
  
"Indeed, Miss Lance. Gideon will answer questions from anyone and I do fall into the category of 'anyone'. Gideon, confirm that the second Waverider is no more than seventy-two hours older than this one."  
  
He could almost feel her scan his ship and his Gideon. "Confirmed."  
  
"What now?" Sara asked.  
  
"I wish I knew."  
  
"He's still in there?"  
  
"I believe so. I hope so." If he wasn't, then not only was this wasted effort, he had doomed a Gideon to death. She would expect him to take... his... place. If he did, then Gideon would have no-one to be her Captain and he wasn't sure how willing she'd be to try to find anyone else to travel with her and the sheer amount she'd have to teach...  
  
"Then I'm going back in."  
  
"You can't." It took all of his will power to meet her eyes. He saw determination there and not much else. Good, she'd realized he wasn't worth her pity. "You are Captain of this ship now. Worst case scenario, you go in and you are unable to save him. You become trapped there. He wakes up still in his altered state. Are you willing to risk your ship, your crew? Consider, I did recently eliminate all of you as any sort of opponent to Eobard Thawne. He would certainly be capable of it."  
  
"As Captain, it's my responsibility to save him," she said, her voice rising.  
  
"As Captain, your responsibility is to the ship and her crew."  
  
"Of which he's part."  
  
"Of which he is but a small part."  
  
"Then you go in and save him."  
  
"I'm afraid not."  
  
"Do I have this right? You were willing to possibly wreck the timeline so badly it'd be a mess for decades and might not ever be fixed but you aren't willing to even entertain the thought of saving yourself?"  
  
"You have no idea what you're asking, and don't you dare to presume to judge me, Miss Lance."  
  
"I'm asking you to give a damn about yourself, Rip." He could see how furious she was by the way her eyes flashed.  
  
"I am," he said drily. "Me, not _him_." He'd had nightmares for months after a lecture about Cognitive Intrusion which was quite heavy on the theoretical disasters, which remained theoretical because nobody had been stupid enough to try to experiment with alternate versions of themselves.  
  
She stood up and stormed out, her loud echoing footsteps pointedly opposite her usual silence. "Gideon, tell me when Miss Lance is about to do something mind shatteringly idiotic."  
  
"Yes, Captain."  
  
He enjoyed two blessedly quiet minutes before she spoke. “Captain--"  
  
"On my way."  
  
**********  
  
Sara returned to the chair that she was on earlier when she and Jax had tried to save Rip. "Hook me up, Mick, I'm going back in!"  
  
Mick Rory stood there, implacably. "No can do, Blondie."  
  
"Don't make me order you. I'll kick your ass if I have to."  
  
"Maybe, but you're not going in."  
  
"Mick," she said warningly.  
  
"It's already failed, there's nothing left to-"  
  
"Save?" Rip asked as he reached the doorway. Miss Lance ignored him.  
  
"Martin, you hook me up."  
  
"Professor Stein, help Miss Lance off that chair. I will be using it," Rip commanded, as he strode in. "Mr. Rory, you will be joining me, I may need assistance."  
  
Mick laughed. "What makes you think I’d do that?"  
  
"I did save your life by placing you in stasis or have you already forgotten?" Rip said briskly. "Miss Lance, you have not cornered the market on crowning moments of stupidity or idiotic plans. I'm going in. I may not make it out. _He_ ," he nodded at the Rip who was lying on one of the chairs, still sedated, "may not make it out. Be ready for disaster."  
  
He wasn't sure how Martin had managed it, but a standing Sara glared at him as he sat down. She turned as she saw Jax.  
  
"You were supposed to keep an eye on him!"  
  
"I did, I followed him here."  
  
By now, Rip had the strap on with the button to push to wake up. He was barely able to make out that Mr. Rory had indeed taken the other chair. The sharp bite of metal sent him...  
  
... onto a darkened Waverider, lit by frequent explosions, while two people kissed, lost in each other.  
  
"Do you mind!" Rip said, sounding put out.  
  
Neither paid him the slightest bit of attention.  
  
"Gideon, I expected better from you!"   
  
Hearing the terribly-disappointed-in-you tone, Gideon practically leapt away from the Rip she'd been kissing and he looked confused.  
  
"Captain?!?"  
  
"He really must leave now, I'm afraid."  
  
"I'm staying here, with Gideon," he said, defiantly.  
  
"All you'd be doing is killing yourself," Rip said, quietly. "You were brainwashed and you're trapped in your mind. Do you really want to let that _thing_ run loose on the ship? He's capable of killing them. I know, because I was him. I'm trying to give you a chance here, to reclaim your life."  
  
"Listen to him, Captain." Gideon's voice was soft. "You must leave now. You know what might happen the longer he's here."  
  
"That was all theoretical," he scoffed.  
  
"Because they were never stupid enough to run the experiment. I'd like to keep it theoretical." Rip thought for a second that remembered terror flashed in the other's eyes.  
  
"So, you're risking--"  
  
"-- the programming latching on to me and I'll never wake up. The brainwashing would destroy me. Yes. Miss Lance would have been here instead, but I couldn't risk her being killed."  
  
"Gideon, send him back now."  
  
"Yes, Captain." She gently cupped her Rip's cheek and he flickered out of existence. "Now, you must go too."  
  
Mick, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Problem."   
  
Rip immediately saw what Mr. Rory meant. Dressed all in black, there was Rip Hunter, pressing the barrel of a gun against Mr. Rory's head.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos are cool, comments are love.
> 
> If you want me to finish this story, tell me. Season 3 is depressing me and I need motivation.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that was Chapter 1, hope you enjoyed it. Poor Rip, feeling guilty for everything.
> 
> Kudos are cool, comments are love.


End file.
